Expository Files 4.5 May 1997
By Warren E. Berkley
Whatever Happened To Chaperons?
I'm convinced one of our problems is that we think we are stronger than we really are;
we over-estimate ourselves, and we under-estimate the power of temptation and the wiles of
the devil. We associate with people who have a bad influence on us. We go to places where
temptation is intense. We entertain thoughts that could lead us into transgression. We
neglect our spiritual welfare, and make excuses and generally - get too close to sin!!
And somewhere in all of this dangerous territory - we seem to think that because
we've been baptized, there is some sort of automatic protection we enjoy; so we just
stumble and fumble around; we play with temptation; we deceive ourselves into thinking we
couldn't sin. All of this is foolish and immature and plays right into the hands of the
enemy. The devil wants us to think that sin is no big deal.
Paul gives us a great rule in 1 Cor. 6:18: "Flee fornication!" This word
"flee" carries the idea of fleeing from danger. Instead of deliberately
placing yourself in a situation where you are liable to sin - flee; get out of
there, with the energy of Joseph, who ran from Potiphar's wife! Get as far away as you can
from that situation of intense temptation - - especially, if you are honest enough to
recognize that you are weak, and could sin!! Flee; get out of there!
Our big mistake is - we sometimes place ourselves in the right place to do
the wrong thing! We want to hang right around the corner from evil. We place
ourselves in the right place - to do the wrong thing, like David - - who was watching
Bathsheba; and then asked for her . . and then - - well, you know the rest.
Young people who are not married -- with hormones working overtime - do not need to
be alone, in dark, romantic, but unsupervised settings. Boy, I realize
to many people, that really sounds silly; old-fashioned; narrow-minded; a radical concept.
Even the word "chaperon" has almost fallen out of use in our time.
But regardless of the low standards of modern times there is a certain carefulness
about morality and purity that needs to be restored in our families and in our
nation. "Flee fornication!" Job said: "I have made a covenant with my
eyes; Why should I look upon a young woman?" (Job 31:1).
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